Chapter 383: Joint School Trip #2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 383: Joint School Trip #2
Miyuki was glancing around furtively as she put something in her bag.
It was her underwear.
Miyuki was always like this, except on special occasions.
She was too shy to even let me see her underwear, so she’d hide it like that. And whenever she got out of the shower, she would always be wearing a t-shirt and shorts.
This was despite the fact that we’d already done everything and seen everything there was to do and see.
“What are you hiding?”
Startled, Miyuki quickly shoved the underwear deep into her bag.
After neatly packing her toiletries and a towel, she came back to me and changed the subject.
“Is there anything interesting on TV?”
Hiyori would probably be the complete opposite, right?
She has her shy moments, but she can also be quite bold. I bet for our first time, she’d show up in some incredibly seductive lingerie, calling it her special weapon for the occasion.
“Nope.”
“Are you hungry?”
“We just ate 30 minutes ago.”
“Oh, right.”
Miyuki tapped the side of her forehead as if she’d forgotten, then walked over to where I was lying down.
She sat down, her hip pressing against my waist, and gently patted my stomach.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing. Just wanted to say you worked hard on your exams.”
“All of a sudden?”
“Why? They’re over, so I can say it.”
“I guess you’re right. But…”
“Yeah?”
“If you don’t think you can swim, don’t worry about me and just say so.”
I was talking about the slight water trauma she’d developed after she almost drowned.
Realizing what I meant, Miyuki asked in a soft voice.
“You want to hang out somewhere else?”
“We’ll have to.”
“Thank you for being so considerate. I can just play in the shallow water with the other kids who can’t swim. Besides, since I’m on the student council, I’ll have to spend a lot of time watching over the other students. Especially since this is a joint trip with the first-years, I need to keep a close eye on them so they don’t get out of line.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. But I’ll have plenty of time in the evening, so let’s hang out together at the inn. We can go for a walk around the area, too.”
“Alright. Are you sleeping over tonight?”
“No. I have to go home and hang out with my sister. She said I’ve been staying out too much lately and she’s bored.”
In that case, I could just invite Kana over to my place too.
There’s a lot to do with the sisters.
I swallowed those words, smacking my lips with a hint of disappointment as I nodded.
“When are you leaving?”
“In about ten minutes?”
“I’ll give you a ride then.”
“Thank you, Matsuda-kun.”
Couples who’ve been together for a long time tend to become stingy with their thanks and apologies, but Miyuki isn’t like that, which I really like.
Of course, it’s not like we’ve been dating for that long, but I know she won’t change.
I have faith in that.
By the way, why is it ‘Matsuda-kun’ again? She was calling me by my first name earlier.
Is she more comfortable this way? Then again, she’s been calling me by my last name for so long, it makes sense.
I think I’d even feel a little awkward if she started calling me by my first name all the time now.
After lazing around on the floor mat with Miyuki, I drove her home when it was time.
When I got back, I took a picture of the bag Miyuki and I had packed together and sent it to Hiyori.
Bzzzt-!
[Saw it. Make sure to bring two frozen water bottles tomorrow and give them to me when we get off the bus.]
Was she on her phone at a cafe?
Her reply was incredibly fast.
[Am I your personal porter?]
[Please♥]
What’s with the heart? What a sly little thing.
Do you send emoticons like that to other guys?
I trust that she doesn’t.
[No.]
[Whyyy? I even said please.]
[Your request is so transparent that it doesn’t feel sincere.]
[Busted? Still, please do it. Our freezer is full, so I can’t fit any water bottles in.]
[You could just ask Mitsushima.]
[I’d like you to bring it for me.]
It’s just text, so how much sincerity can there be, but this time, it actually felt genuine.
Fine, I’ll do you this one favor. But this isn’t free; you’ll have to pay me back later.
[Alright.]
[Thank you. I’ll give you a snacky as a reward.]
She’s treating me like a five-year-old.
But why is a smile creeping onto my face?
Is Hiyori making the same expression as me right now?
With that thought, I tapped on my phone’s keypad.
[Don’t need it.]
[Then how about a lewd photo?]
[Now that, I might need.]
[Just a sec.]
Seeing Hiyori’s reply, I thought, ‘No way,’ but before I could even send a message saying I was joking, she sent a picture. I let out a hollow laugh, completely dumbfounded.
At the same time, I felt the blood rush to my groin.
It was a picture of her sticking her tongue out slightly and winking, her index finger hooked on a button of her dress shirt, pulling it down to reveal her cleavage…
That’s the kind of picture she sent.
Judging by the angle and the time it was sent, it seemed like a photo she’d taken in advance.
The heart emoticon, the photo…
She’s practically begging me to devour her.
Just you show me an opening tomorrow. I’ll pounce on you right then and there.
[Satisfied?]
I was admiring the photo in full screen when Hiyori’s follow-up message snapped me back to reality.
[Do you have a death wish?]
[About what?]
[Stop doing such lewd things.]
[Why are you nagging me? You’re the one who told me to send it.]
[That’s not what I mean. I’m telling you not to take pictures like that outside.]
[I took it at home, though?]
[Then it’s fine. My bad.]
[Jeez.]
[Go home. It’s late.]
[I was just about to leave. I need to have lots of fun tomorrow.]
[Good thinking. Go to bed early. It’ll be a disaster if you oversleep.]
[Okayyy.]
After finishing my chat with Hiyori, I lay spread-eagled on the mat.
My heart wasn’t pounding, but I was looking forward to it.
What I want most is for Miyuki and Hiyori’s cold war to thaw a little.
Hoping that tomorrow would be the day, I set an alarm for early in the morning and closed my eyes.
* * *
“That’s a lot of buses.”
That was my impression upon seeing the buses lined up in front of the school gate. Miyuki replied in a worried tone.
“It’s a joint trip for the first and second-years.”
She seemed concerned that with so many students, it would be difficult to manage everyone.
Capable Miyuki would be good at anything, but she underestimates herself.
The other student council members would be there, and they were planning to give instructions to the class presidents of each class, so I doubted it would be that hard to keep everyone in line.
“Let me know if you need help with anything.”
“Will you come running right away?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re so reliable. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Miyuki smiled brightly, her hand gently fiddling with my thigh.
I couldn’t tell if she was trying to reassure me or if it was an act to reassure herself.
It was probably a bit of both.
After parking inside the school grounds, Miyuki told me she had to meet a senior from the student council and that I should go on ahead to the bus. I did as she said.
With her bag on one shoulder and mine on the other, I greeted classmates as I passed them and headed toward the first-year buses where Hiyori would be.
It was crowded, but I found Hiyori with surprising ease.
All I had to do was look for her yellow hair, and specifically, the ahoge that stuck out from the top. It wasn’t hard at all.
I carefully made my way through the crowd and called out to her. She was in the middle of a cheerful conversation with Miho.
“Asahina.”
Hiyori whipped her head around and raised her hand with a bright expression.
“Matsumatsu! Hi.”
She was dressed simply in a white t-shirt and short jeans.
The lanyard of her student ID card hanging below her chest was subtly erotic.
Surprisingly, she wasn’t showing much skin. I guess she’s planning to show off at the beach.
I took the two promised bottles of frozen water out of my bag and held them out to Hiyori.
“Here, take these.”
“Ooh.”
Hiyori let out a small exclamation as she took the rock-solid plastic bottles in her hands.
Is that all she has to say?
I couldn’t tell if she was being simple or just unemotional.
Hiyori glanced at me as I closed my bag and gave a small smile before handing one of the bottles to Miho.
Then she gave me the credit.
“My senpai got one for you, too.”
At times like this, Hiyori seems so considerate… but then she’ll slam on the accelerator when you least expect it.
“Thank you.”
I waved off Miho’s bow and said to Hiyori.
“I’m heading out.”
“Already? You have to get your reward.”
“What reward?”
Hiyori pulled a Suichu out of the large travel bag on her back, forced my hand open, and placed it on my palm.
“I told you I’d give you a snacky.”
“Do you really have to call it a ‘snacky’?”
“You don’t like it? Should I give your butt a little pat-pat instead?”
“I told you to refrain from saying things like that in front of other people, didn’t I?”
“What’s the big deal? It’s not like I said something dirty.”
“I meant you shouldn’t speak so carelessly. You can hold back, right?”
As I spoke in a soft, coaxing voice, as if calming a child, her lips pressed together and her eyes darted from side to side.
She seemed to be blushing, remembering the time I had called her by her first name.
I chuckled at the cute sight and handed two bags of jellies I’d bought beforehand to Miho.
I told her to share them with Hiyori on the way, then returned to the bus our class was supposed to take.
And there, I found Tetsuya asking students around him if they had seen Miyuki.
Seeing that piece of shit first thing in the morning on such a nice day completely soured my mood.
I have to make sure I don’t get involved with him today, no matter what.
Just as I was thinking that, Miyuki arrived with the vice class president and announced.
“Everyone, could you please line up in four rows in front of me for a head count? If you need to use the restroom, we’ll give you time after the check, so please go then.”
The noisy atmosphere instantly quieted down.
The students gathered in front of Miyuki, forming neat rows and columns.
Miyuki offered them a gentle smile and began to count the excited students one by one with her finger.
Her earlier worries in the car seemed completely unfounded now.
My Miyuki has a subtle charisma.
When she says something, you just want to follow her lead.
She approached me at the very back of the line, pretending to count me with a flick of her index finger, then secretly gave my side a light pinch.
After chiding me for standing with my weight on one leg, she announced that she would do one more check on the bus and gave the students fifteen minutes of free time.
As I watched Miyuki’s retreating back, I spotted the Bread Girl timidly taking a bite of bread while looking around. I called out to her.
“Hey.”
“Cough.”
“If you have any extra bread, want to trade for a drink?”
“Cough… Okay…”
“By the way, aren’t you going to the bathroom?”
“I-I don’t need to go…”
“Really? Let’s get on then.”
“Ah, okay…”
I suddenly wondered what kind of swimsuit the Bread Girl would wear.
It would definitely be plain, but that has its own kind of appeal.
Thinking that I’d get to see a different side of many students today, I boarded the bus with the Bread Girl.